Spiral projector and propeller



Feb. 12, 1952 P. w. RUSSELL 2,535,843

SPIRAL PROJECTOR AND PROPELLER Filed Dec. 19, 1946 A? T TO P/VEKS.

PEPC w. Eussa L,

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 wUNlTED STATES PATENT ori ice SPIRAL PROJECTORANn r OP LLER v Percy Russell, Jacksonville, Ill. Application December19, 194-5eria1 No. 717,284

The present'invention relates to a game device. More particularly, itrelates to a projectile and target type of device wherein-differentscores are obtained when the projectile lands on different areas of thetarget.

It is an object of the invention to provide a game device thati'sinteresting to play and which involves -a combination of an element ofchance andan elementofskill.

A particular object of the'invention is to provide a projectile in theform of a simulated-helicopter, whichprojectile may be impelled bysuitable means and caused to land on a target area, the target areaconsisting of a landing field with points for or against theplayer inaccordance with the quality of the landing made, whichquality isdetermined by the location on the landing field at which the projectilestops.

In the drawings:

. Fig. 1 is'a plan view of the landing field target;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe target;

Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the projectile;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the projectile; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a projecting means.

The first element of .the game includes the target board II] in the.shape of an aircraft landing field and environment. This board hasindicated on it crossing landing strips I I, the crossing preferablybeing indicated by a circle I2. Within the general area of the arms ofthe cross, but off the strips, there is an additional target area l3.Beyond the periphery of the area of the cross, there are edge areas [4which may include trees and other indicated obstructions, these beinghere shown as trees l5 and buildings I6. Beyond the field entirely,there is a marginal band I8.

It will be seen that the center circle I2 of the landing strip carriesthe maximum point advantage, it being indicated at 50. The crossportions ll of the landing strip carry plus scores of 25, as indicated.The area within the arms of the cross shown at l3 carries a plus scoreof 10. The portions adjacent the landing field having the trees I5thereon carry minus scores of points each,

' whereas the buildings l6 carry minus scores of points each. The outermargin l8, outside the landing field entirely, carries a minus score of50 points.

The projectile is generally indicated at 20 and is shown in Figs. 3 and4. It is designed to act as a helicopter so that it will tend to sustainitself in the air upon being rotated, but will gradually descend underthe action of gravity. It may be made simply or elaborately, as desired.A

3 Claims. (01. 46-85) simple illustration is here given as including "astem'12l at one end of which, a propeller, igenw erally designated at22, .is attached. This propeller may consist of a disc of lcardboard or.other suitable material with an opening cut out so that iti may.beslipped over and secured to the upper part ofthe stem 2|. This stripis s1itted at 24 av proper number of times, here shown as six, so as: toget six blades, these blades being indicated at 25. There is an internalcut-out 26 ,to be disposed over the stem 2], and it will be observedthat the slits 24 preferably do not extend in wardly to this cut-out 26.p l. The blades 25 are bent as shown in Fig. ,4, so that, when thedevice is twirled counterclockwise in Fig. 3 and to the right in Fig. 4,theblades will tend to lift the whole device. The helicopter is of lightweight, the stem being preferably .of wood. Stabilizing weightsZ'l aredesirably located beneath the edge of each of the blades. These act; asinertia weights to keep the device spinning. The totalweight is adjustedso that when the helicopter is projected upwardly and spun, it will,descend relatively slowly, with the longer end of the stem downward. r Ir The stem ,2l has one ormore pins 29 rejecting slightly therefrom. I, pv While the helicopter may be spun manually if desired, it is preferableto have a projector for it such as that shown in Fig. 5. This projectorhas a base 3| made of wood or the like, to which a tube 32 is attached.This tube is desirably pivotally attached as shown at 33, so that it maybe turned to a suitable direction for aiming purposes. Suitable frictionby any convenient means may be had for retaining the tube in an adjustedposition of angularity.

The tube has a rifiing spiral 34 in its upper portion into which the pin29 engages when the stem 2| is lowered into the tube 32. The tubelikewise has a plunger 35, or the like, vertically reciprocable in it.This plunger has a pin 3-6 in it that is engageable within a slot 31 inan operating handle 38. This handle is preferably supported pivotally at39 on the side of the tube. The outer end 40 of this lever 38 is thehandle portion.

To play the game, the operator deposits a helicopter into the projector,so that the stem descends in the tube and. the pin 29 engages in therifling. In this operation, the handle 40 will be lifted. The device isthen aimed, as desired, and a sharp descending force is applied to thehandle 40. This discharges the helicopter from the tube and spins it ina direction tending to 7 3 lift it. It also directs it toward thetarget, which may be of any suitable size.

If the helicopter descends onto the target, the player is credited orcharged with points in accordance with the place where the helicopterlands. Thus, if it lands at the center of the landing strip, the playeris credited with 50 points. The other positive scores are obtained byotherlandings within the general area of the landing cross, or upon it.If, however, the helicopter strikes a tree or a building bordering thelanding strip, the player is charged with a minus score in the amountsindicated. If he entirely misses the landing fie1d, -and lands on themarginal area, he is charged with the maximum minus score.

It will be seen that a game is provided which contains the element ofskill in aiming and operating the helicopter. It also contains anelement of chance because of the difficulty in obtaining accurate travelof the helicopter. As noted, it may be played by manual spinning of thehelicopter, if such is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A game projectile, comprising a short cylindrical body having astud-like projection normal to the surface adjacent the lower endthereof, and a blade assembly fitted over the upper end of the body andsecured thereto, said blade assembly including a disc with a series ofradial slots formed therein extending from a point adjacent the centerof the disc to the outer periphery thereof, the blade areas between theslots being canted to lift the projectile when the body is rotated inone direction, and individual weights secured to the blades adjacent theouter edges thereof.

2. A projecting device for use with a toy projectile, comprising a base,a tube-like member having a spiral groove formed in the inner wallthereof mounted on said base so that its angular positon with respect tosaid base can be varied at will, a piston reciprocably mounted withinthe tube-like member; and manually operated means for actuating saidpiston so that the amount of force exerted by the piston can be variedat the will of the operator.

3. In combination, a projectile containing a stem having a stud-likeprojection extending transversely adjacent the lower end thereof; adisc-like member fastened adjacent the upper end of the stem andcontaining a series of radial slots extending to the vouter peripherythereof, the areas between the slots being canted to form blades to liftthe projectile when the stem is rotated in one direction; and aprojecting device for launching the projectile including a tubelikemember to receive the stem and containing a spiral groove in the innerwall thereof for engagement with the stud-like projection, a pistonreciprocably mounted within the tube-like member below the stem forengagement with the end thereof, and a lever member for manuallyactuating said piston to eject the stem from the tube-like member with aforce which can be varied at the will of the operator.

PERCY W. RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,201 Richard June 21, 1887368,307 Rhodes Aug. 16, 1887 693,327 Matteson Feb. 11, 1902 811,784Matteson Feb. 6, 1906 1,014,953 Davis Jan. 16, 1912 1,167,507 Lloyd Jan.11, 1916 1,172,766 Chein Feb. 22, 1916 1,213,943 Pecinovsky Jan. 30,1917 1,270,313 Miller June 25, 1918 1,292,793 Jolie Jan. 28, 19191,414,827 Peterson May 2, 1922 1,462,221 Wolfe July 17, 1923 1,653,221May Dec. 20, 1927 1,678,527 Payne July 24, 1928 1,708,999 Bernier Apr.16, 1929 1,935,370 Nekuda Nov. 14, 1933 2,235,933 Laine Mar. 25, 19412,257,602 Hansell Sept. 30, 1941 2,449,432 Wheeler Sept. 14, 1948

